Fish & Wildlife Service sued over polar bear protection status

Three environmental groups concerned that climate change is harming polar bears went back to federal court today to prod the Interior Department into deciding whether the bears should be listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. Back in early January the Center for Biological Diversity, the Natural Resources Defense Council and Greenpeace filed a notice of intent to sue because the Fish and Wildlife Service missed a deadline for making a decision. Now the mandatory 60-day waiting period has expired and the groups have taken the next step in the U.S. District Court in San Francisco.